Despite the claims, those big puffy vape clouds aren’t just water vapor. Studies show that the aerosol vapor from vape products can contain dangerous toxins, including heavy metals and chemicals known to cause cancer and other diseases.

Vaping is a predictor of future cigarette smoking. A study of 12th-grade students who had never smoked a cigarette found that those who had reported recent vaping were more than four times more likely to report past-year smoking one year later.

It can be tough to tell if our kids are vaping - TobaccoFreeCO says, "Not only do manufacturers make discreet devices that resemble flash drives, highlighters and more, but they also do not have the same strong odor that is often a giveaway for parents and teachers. Vaping is so discreet, in fact, that students have been known to vape during class." We have to talk to them. It can be hard, but we're not alone.

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has a suite of materials to help parents and askable adults understand the risks of vaping and prepare us to have informed conversations with our teens and pre-teens about it. I talked to a few of the teens in my life to see what they knew and thought about vaping, and found our conversation enlightening.